Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee's family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love-a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family's killers. The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman's journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

About Left To Tell

Immaculee shares her miraculous story of how she survived during the Rwanda genocide in 1994 when she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor’s house for 91 days! In this captivating and inspiring book, Immacuee shows us how to embrace the power of prayer, forge a profound and lasting relationship with God, and discover the importance of forgiveness and the meaning of truly unconditional love and understanding—through our darkest hours.

“In 1994, Rwandan native Ilibagiza was 22 years old and home from college to spend Easter with her devout Catholic family when the death of Rwanda's Hutu president sparked a three-month slaughter of nearly one million ethnic Tutsis. She survived by hiding in a Hutu pastor's tiny bathroom with seven other starving women for 91 cramped, terrifying days. This searing firsthand account of Ilibagiza's experience cuts two ways: her description of the evil that was perpetrated, including the brutal murders of her family members, is soul-numbingly devastating, yet the story of her unquenchable faith and connection to God throughout the ordeal uplifts and inspires. This book is a precious addition to the literature that tries to make sense of humankind's seemingly bottomless depravity and counterbalancing hope in an all-powerful, loving God.”-Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review, March 2006

“I am humbled by the extraordinary spirituality that shines throughout Immaculee Ilibagiza’s story of terror, endurance, healing, and forgiveness. As a Rwandan, I am proud that we can look beyond the misconceived differences that resulted in the murder of so many of our children, men, and women in 1994. Immaculee’s account of genocide survival is truly astonishing. It gives us hope of overcoming the divisions deliberately created by those with self-serving agendas and no thought for humanity.Everyone should read this story—survivors as well as perpetrators. I hope that all can experience Immaculee’s profound spiritual transformation and be inspired to work for a united and lasting nation.”-Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda

“Into a confused world that has lost its moral compass comes Immaculee Ilibagiza’s book, offering luminous direction, and pointing us straight toward the path of reconciliation. As the horrific acts of the Rwandan genocide escalate, Immaculee’s faith deepens. It is this unsettling tension between horror and faith that haunted me long after my tears and nausea had subsided. Although the details of Immaculee’s story are unique, what is profoundly universal is the way her belief in goodness is tested over and over. As unspeakable evil spreads around her, and she has to dig deeper and deeper to find compassion, hope, and ultimately the kind of genuine forgiveness that offers redemption. Left to Tell will leave you breathless and falling to your knees with renewed faith.”-Gail Straub, director, The Empowerment Institute; the author of The Rhythm of Compassion

“We all ask ourselves what we would do if faced with the kind of terror and loss that Immaculee Ilibagiza faced during the genocide in her country. Would we allow fear and desperation to fill us with hatred or despair? And should we survive, would our spirit be poisoned, or would we be able to rise from the ashes still encouraged to fulfill our purpose in life, still able to give and receive love? In the tradition of Viktor Frankl and Anne Frank, Immaculee is living proof that human beings can not only withstand evil, but can also find courage in crisis, and faith in the most hopeless of situations. She gives us the strength to find wisdom and grace during our own challenging times.”-Elizabeth Lesser, co-founder of the Omega Institute, and author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

“An inspirational, life-altering book. Once you turn that first page, you’re changed forever. You will never forget Immaculee and what it means to embrace life in the darkest of times.”-Cindy Pearlman, New York Times Syndicate

“Immaculee Ilibagiza’s gift of forgiveness to the perpetrators of the unthinkable acts revealed in this book is just one of the extraordinary examples of her unwavering courage. This book moved me in unimaginable ways, and reminded me once again about the immense grace that is born out of faith and forgiveness.”-Denise Linn, the author of If I Can Forgive, So Can You

“Reading this book has truly changed my life—not in some distant future, but right now! I can't even describe my feelings, but they have shifted things inside me in such a way that I just can’t find the words. This is a book that defies adequate description.”-Vimala Rodgers, author and motivational speaker

“Immaculee’s story is totally gripping from first to last page. It’s such an important work that I don’t want to just describe it as a page-turner . . . but it is. This is a book that will stay with me forever.”-Al Burton, writer, director, and creator of numerous hit TV shows

“Left to Tell reminds us that we are all sons and daughters of God; that with faith, miracles will always appear; and that forgiveness is the key to freedom. A must-read for all of us in these troubled times.” -Colette Baron-Reid, the author of Remembering the Future

“Left to Tell is an incredibly important story. It addresses both the best and the worst aspects of our humanity. Immaculée is a living example of the undefeatable human spirit! Her story is timeless.”-Steve Kalafer, three-time Academy Award–nominated producer

"This book has renewed my faith in God and the Universe in a profound and real way that has changed me forever."-Christiane Northrup, M.D., the author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom